Breastfeeding weaning hormones

[megthemum]

Hi all, just looking for some reassurance I think!

Everything I read online about hormone crashes from weaning off breastfeeding read as though you just stop one day cold turkey. Obviously that’s not the case, baby is almost 8 months and eating solids twice a day, down to 5-6 breastfeeds a day and the last week or two I’m struggling with what I think is the change in hormones. I’m so irritable all the time, husband is getting on my nerves, dog is getting on my nerves, my mum is getting on my nerves… I’m annoyed I feel like all the time and it’s getting me a bit teary today.

I think I just want reassurance this is normal with weaning and it isn’t going to go on the entire time we wean off breastfeeding until we’re completely done!?

The reduction can have an impact too. My daughter is over 2, well weaned but still likes a feed at night and morning now and then.

I no longer have to pump if I leave her for a day or two. There's not much milk there.

But when away for a week, I found I was mopey as anything...

If you’re still feeding 5-6x a day you’re not weaning from breastfeeding, you’re just adding in more solid food. The hormone changes are when you actually stop breastfeeding entirely, wouldn’t need to be cold turkey (not advisable for many reasons unless you have no choice) but would be a much bigger change in feeding than a gradual reduction to 5-6 feeds. Could your period be returning?

I was affected really quite badly and my son was nearly 3 and had cut down to hardly any feeds etc. I definitely felt really low and hormonal and not right for a little while though. So I think it really can impact your hormones at any stage.

When I stopped breastfeeding during the night I had a horrible hormonal depression hit me for a few weeks but it soon cleared - didn't realise it at the time but that's what it was! I breastfeed for two years overall though, by the time I stopped (which was one feed a day anyway) I didn't notice any hormonal shifts. Best of luck x

Thanks ladies, appreciate your responses!

We have definitely dropped some feeds - she stopped wanting milk overnight quite early so we were feeding 8-10 times a day before we started solids. Could also be period returning you’re right - I had the Mirena coil put back in when she was about 2 months old in December and I bled for ages then, have only had random spotting days since except the last 3 weeks have been spotting every day. My skin is gone horrible too so could well be that!

Hopefully mostly affecting me with this first drop off then - fingers crossed it doesn’t come back every time we drop feeds!

Thank you all x

I had weaning blues when my period came back at 5.5 months. I had a bad week or so with anxiety. I was actually fine hormonally when I stopped BF at 8 months.

This is reassuring! Thank you x

Sorry OP for hijacking this thread but want to ask @OtterMummy2024 how did you stop? I have a bottle refuser but I think my bf journey needs to end

No problem! Hope things go well for you x

@Applecrumble0110 It was easy because I had given a bottle of formula per day since day two. Depending on the age of your baby, you could try a 360 cup, mine very happily transitioned off day bottles at 11 months to a cup, and then night bottle to cup at 12 months. My baby used to get very upset at the end of a bottle - and the end of a breastfeed, TBF - and a slow flowing cup made a positive change to bedtime from my perspective.